Spathiphyllum Schott. cultivar xe2x80x98Piccolino IIxe2x80x99.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum Schott., and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Piccolino IIxe2x80x99.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned and controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Merelbeke-Melsen, Belgium. The objective of the breeding program is to create compact and freely-flowering Spathiphyllum cultivars suitable for 10-cm production with dark green leaves. The new cultivar originated from a deliberate cross by the Inventor in 1997 between the Spathiphyllum cultivar xe2x80x98Jungfrauxe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,627, as the female or seed parent and the Spathiphyllum cultivar xe2x80x98Danielxe2x80x99, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,655, as the male or pollen parent. The cultivar xe2x80x98Piccolino IIxe2x80x99 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Merelbeke-Melsen, Belgium.
Compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar xe2x80x98Jungfrauxe2x80x99, plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more compact, have darker green leaves and larger spathes and spadices. Compared to plants of the male parent, xe2x80x98Danielxe2x80x99, plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more compact and have darker green leaves.
Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the cultivar xe2x80x98Piccolinoxe2x80x99, not patented, primarily in plant growth habit.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by tissue culture in a laboratory in Belgium has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new Spathiphyllum has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, fertilizer level and propagation procedures, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Piccolino IIxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Piccolino IIxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Very compact plant habit.
2. Dark green, shiny leaves.
3. Very freely clumping, dense and bushy plants.
4. Freely flowering.
5. Numerous white spathes that are positioned at or above the foliage on strong and erect peduncles.
6. Long-lasting spathes.